Rosie's Smokin Hot Bar-B-Que in Kissimmee, FL

I tried Rosie's Smokin Hot Bar-B-Que in Kissimmee for dinner. This restaurant is located along 192 and has the same owners as Wildside BBQ. While the Wildside locations are full service sit down restaurants, Rosie's is cafeteria style and resembles 4 Rivers (a whole lot).

I ordered the sliced pork platter. Just like at 4 Rivers, it was served on a tray covered in a sheet of paper.  The pork looked good, chopped into larger pieces rather than the typical pulled/shredded pork often found at BBQ places. Unfortunately, the pork was sort of chewy, was very bland tasting, and was room temperature. It was made a bit better with barbecue sauce, but it definitely looked better than it tasted. One of my sides was macaroni and cheese. It was okay, but was also room temperature. My other side was collard greens. These were the best part of the platter. They were really flavorful and contained bits of pork. The sad part was that the pork in the collards was much better than the main dish pork. The collard pork was nice and tender and had plenty of flavor on its own, not requiring barbecue sauce. While the collards were good, their temperature didn't seem to be where it should have been either.

I suppose the Wildside people thought they would be able to follow the 4 Rivers formula to make a successful barbecue restaurant, but it wasn't working. I don't think I'd bother trying Rosie's again. I'm not sure why but it seems like I've been having bad luck with Central Florida barbecue lately. Smokey Joe's in Sanford had a similar problem with room temperature meats. I've also been to the 4 Rivers in Winter Garden twice since then and have seen quality issues there as well. Hopefully I'll have better luck next time.

Bono's Bar-B-Q in Gainesville, FL

I was doing some traveling and stopped right off I-75 in Gainesville for gas and lunch. It was decided that we would partake in some barbecue at a restaurant called Bono's Bar-B-Q. We went to their drive through and I ordered the Slawpy Pig Sandwich. The menu described it as a heaping pile of pulled pork topped with coleslaw. The combination reminded me of the Messy Pig at 4 Rivers back in the Orlando area, which I like.

This sandwich was served dry with sauce on the side. It allowed me to taste the pork a bit more than if the meat was drenched in sauce. The shredded pork was nice and tender with a smokey flavor. There were none of the unpleasant chewy bits of pig that sometimes find their way into pulled pork which is always good. The coleslaw was very generic, but did the job of providing moisture and vegetables to an otherwise meaty and dry sandwich. I picked macaroni and cheese as my side. It was very creamy. Overall, Bono's ended up being a much better choice than the standard interstate fast food selections...

Wildside BBQ in Kissimmee, FL

Wildside BBQ is a local chain in the Orlando area. I was recently near Disney on 192 and decided to give the Wildside in Kissimmee a try. It wasn't until halfway through the meal that it clicked that this was the same restaurant as the Wildside BBQ in Thornton Park or College Park (neither of which I have tried). They also apparently own Pacino's a few miles up the road on 192. Three barbecues and an Italian restaurant is an interesting combination... 

 

I went with something simple and ordered a pulled pork sandwich with a side of mashed potatoes. The pork was nice and tender and was topped with a squirt of sauce. The potatoes were mashed with the skin, which I always like.

Overall, my meal at Wildside BBQ was good. I'd go back here, although next time I'll probably try one of their non-barbeque items on the menu.

Smokin Pig in Pooler, GA

Time for some travel blogging! I drove up to Maryland at the beginning of June. One of my favorite ways to keep the drive interesting is seeking out little restaurants hidden away off I-95. All along the interstate south of DC, it seems like there's a whole lot of barbecue to be had.

One of the barbecue stops on this trip was at the Smokin Pig in Pooler, GA. After following a billboard led me to a closed restaurant, I decided instead to put my phone to use. I did a search on Yelp and saw that the Smokin Pig was nearby. I also learned that I should avoid their cole slaw from Chris of Eat Local Orlando who had written the most recent review of the place. Aren't smartphones wonderful?

I had the Pork Plate. The pulled pork came with garlic bread and two sides. I choose macaroni & cheese and Brunswick stew. The pork was served sauceless, but there were several barbecue sauces to choose from on the table. I liked their vinegar sauce, but their mustard based bbq sauce was even better. I've never seen mustard based sauce outside of Georgia and that's too bad since I really like it. The macaroni was average. The Brunswick stew was good, although it did remind me somewhat of vegetable soup.

My co-pilot for the trip had a chicken sandwich. Looked like thick slices of chicken on a hamburger bun. She picked the cole slaw as her side. There was no complaints.

I liked my food from the Smokin Pig. I'd stop here again if I lived in this part of Georgia, but I don't. That means I'll probably never return, but who knows, there are a few other BBQ places that I've made multiple visits to on my drives up I-95 (See Dixie Bones).

Korean BBQ Taco Box in Orlando, FL

The Korean BBQ Taco Box was among one of the initial food trucks in Orlando that started the food truck craze that we're in right now. Everyone seemed to love this place, but it took me a while to actually try them.

When I finally got around to trying one of the Korean BBQ Taco Boxes, it was at one of the Food Truck Bazaars in the Oviedo Mall parking lot. I was reading the truck's menu when someone inside yelled out that they only had one box left, containing some sort of beef, and I could get it for half price. Sounded like a good deal, so I went for it. My mystery box contained beef cooked with onions, rice, and two fried chicken drumsticks. I was disappointed, with the beef being so fatty and tough that I couldn't eat most of it. The fried chicken was much better, but it wasn't the main focus of the meal either. I guess you get what you pay for I suppose with a half price meal...

While at the Food Truck Bazaar at Winter Springs High School, I decided to give the Korean BBQ Taco Box another try. I figured I should have their food when it wasn't the discounted bottom of the barrel. This time around, I tried the Spicy Pork Taco Box.

 The box came with a taco, salad, chicken wing, tempura potato, and a fried cheese roll. This was a huge improvement over my first meal with the Taco Boxes. The taco was filled with spicy shredded pork topped with lettuce. The salad consisted of iceberg lettuce with ginger dressing. The chicken wing was similar to what I had previously, and still good. The cheese roll was interesting too. It was like an egg roll filled with rice and cheese.

After my second meal with the Korean BBQ Taco Box Trucks, I am now a fan!

Pho Mac in Staten Island, NY

Staten Island, NY. It's a place that everyone seems to drive through without ever leaving the highway while either coming or going to other parts of New York and New Jersey. Still, I figured being one of the five boroughs of New York City, chances are there was some good stuff hidden on the island. That's why on my last trip up to New York, I made a point to actually stop in Staten Island for the first time ever and found some good Vietnamese food at a restaurant called Pho Mac...

I ordered the Pho Thit Heo Nuong, or #17 on the menu. This bowl of pho was described as combination rice noodles beef soup with grilled pork. The thinly sliced pork came served on the side which was a bit different, but once added into the bowl of soup, all the flavors came together into a very tasty dinner!

Big Jims Bar-B-Q Food Truck in Melbourne, FL

I tried a food truck in Melbourne called Big Jims Bar-B-Q. Big Jims seems to be set up in a semi-permanent location along 192 in an empty lot occupied with the main trailer, a couple of smokers, and some picnic tables. I decided to get the pulled pork sandwich combo, served with two sides.

I tried the collard greens and cornbread for my two sides. I liked the collards, but the cornbread was very dry and could have used some butter for some extra flavor.

The sandwich was good, with loads of pork drenched in a vinegary barbecue sauce. Only complaint was that the sauce soaked down to the lower bun and made the bread very soggy. Regardless, the sandwich tasted good and was a whole lot of food for $7...

Travelling Gourmet Food Truck in Orlando, FL

Travelling Gourmet is one of the newest food trucks to start serving in Orlando. They sell organic & local foods, all out of their trailer. They were at the Orlando Food Truck Bazaar #2 and I decided to give them a try.

I had the Pork Lettuce Wraps, served with a side of plantain chips. The pork came locally from Palmetto Creek Farms and the greens came from Heart of Christmas Farms. The lettuce wraps were topped with corn, black beans, and feta, resulting in a very tasty flavor combination.


I'm not sure if Travelling Gourmet is serving anywhere on a normal basis around town or if they just come out to events like the Food Truck Bazaar. Either way, I'd give them another try if I spot them around town.

Boston Bakery in Orlando, FL

It took me a while to figure out Boston Bakery served Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches rather than New England style baked goods. I had driven past countless times with minimal interest in stopping, but that changed when I realized Boston Bakery was something totally different than expected. My curiosity about trying Boston Bakery was further peaked when they scored the highest in the Orlando Weekly's rundown of the city's best banh mi.

I finally stopped into Boston Bakery at the start of a recent road trip. I've found that banh mi are very conducive to eating on the go, so it seemed as good of a time as any to try Boston Bakery. Inside, Boston Bakery was very toasty with no apparent working air conditioning, but I wasn't there for the atmosphere. I was there for the #1 Combination.

The sandwich was filled with steamed pork, head cheese, liver pate, carrots, daikon, jalapeno, and cilantro, all on a French baguette. While the sandwich was good, I also found it to be very dry. The banh mi could have definitely used some sauce to moisten everything up. This was my first experience with head cheese and although it's not the nicest looking sandwich meat, it actually wasn't bad. Just don't make the mistake of reading the Wikipedia page of potential head cheese ingredients as you eat the sandwich. As for the liver, I'll take it or leave it...

Overall, Boston Bakery's #1 Combination was good. The banh mi was nicely stuffed with a whole lot of meat and vegetables. It was a nice introduction to a new mystery meat and although the sandwich was very dry, it was still great deal for $3.

Mamacita's Mexican Bar & Grill in Hollywood, FL

On a cold winter evening, I made my way to the boardwalk in Hollywood, FL to find dinner. After a short walk, the scary mannequin outside of Mamacita's Mexican Bar & Grill drew me in for some food.

Like most meals at Mexican restaurants, tortilla chips and salsa came first. The salsa had a nice kick to it...

I ordered the Torta al Pastor for my meal. Mexican tortas are something I was completely unaware of until a few months ago. Once I was conscious of tortas though, I've been coming across them everywhere and it was about time that I finally try one of these Mexican sandwiches. The Torta al Pastor was filled with spicy pork, sliced avocado, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Technically, it was the typical fillings found in a taco (except the mayonnaise) with a more substantial baked good holding everything together. I had nothing bad to say about the sandwich. It was cheap, filling, and delicious. The ocean view didn't hurt either.

Wackadoo's Grub & Brew in Orlando, FL

Wackadoo's Grub & Brew is a restaurant/bar in the UCF Student Union. Because of the location, I wasn't expecting the best food since the restaurant caters to a somewhat captive audience, especially on weekends when it's the only restaurant open in the Student Union. I guess I was wrong because the food I had here was actually pretty good. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with a side of fries.  The pork was all very lean with a nice smokey flavor. A cup of spicy barbecue sauce was served on the side, but the pork had enough flavor to where it really didn't need it.  The fries were pretty standard as far as fries go.

I really wasn't expecting good barbecue from Wackadoo's, so my sandwich was a nice surprise. I wonder if they smoke their own meat?

Ba Le Bakery in Orlando, FL

I was in the mood for some banh mi, so I stopped at Ba Le Bakery on Mills Avenue in Orlando. I have passed by this place plenty of times, but never stopped in. After reading Tasty Chomps! review of the restaurant, I decided I needed to give them a try. This Vietnamese franchise specializes in banh mi sandwiches, but they also had other choices available like pho and meat dishes.

I ordered a shredded pork banh mi for the whopping price of $2.75. The sandwich came on a French baguette filled with pork, cucumbers, cilantro, carrots, and assorted pickled vegetables.

It was a good sandwich for the price, but I had issues with some of the pork. The roast pork was good, but the shredded pork skin called bi wasn't quite as enjoyable. These thin, noodle-like strips of gelatinous pork skin were far too chewy to go on a sandwich.

I liked my sandwich and it's great price, but I have had better banh mi in Orlando. The sandwiches from other nearby restaurants seem to stuff their sandwiches more and also lack the chewy texture that I wasn't happy with...